"I just wanted to say I'm sorry to anyone who ever wasn't believed because I don't know what turn my life would have taken if people didn't believe me," Swift said on stage

By Samantha Schnurr •Published August 15, 2018•Updated on August 15, 2018 at 11:16 am

It's been one year since Taylor Swift was granted a symbolic $1 in her assault and battery countersuit against radio DJ David Mueller -- and on Tuesday night, fans were raising $1 bills in her honor.

The Grammy-winning songstress marked the significant date during a performance in Tampa for her Reputation tour. Swift addressed the events of last August while seated at the piano.

"This exact day a year ago, I was not playing a sold-out stadium in Tampa. I was in a courtroom in Denver, Colorado and, um, honestly I was there for a sexual assault case, and this day a year ago was the day that the jury decided in my favor and said that they believed me," she explained as her remarks were met with fierce applause.

"I just think about all the people that weren't believed and the people who haven't been believed, or the people who are afraid to speak up because they think they won't be believed," the 28-year-old star continued. "And I just wanted to say I'm sorry to anyone who ever wasn't believed because I don't know what turn my life would have taken if people didn't believe me when I said that something had happened to me. So, I guess I just wanted to say that we have so, so, so much further to go, and I'm so grateful to you guys for being there for me during what was a really, really horrible part of my life."

As she continued her moving remarks, Swift expressed her appreciation to her fans for not only helping her through her own personal battles but for also trusting her with theirs.

"I wanted to thank you for everything, and I wanted to thank you for -- I know that when I meet you guys at meet-and-greets before and after the shows you guys tell me about the hard times you've gone through in your lives. And I really appreciate you trusting me with that information and you guys have seen me go through so many ups and downs in my life just due to the public nature of the way my life is, and I wanted to say that I'm so happy to see you and to have you and to know you through the ups and the downs of my life. So thank you for everything," she said on stage.

The topic was clearly an emotional one for the musician as she appeared to get choked up. "Sorry, I just haven't really talked about it, and so I'm just not composed at all."

The legal victory was one not only for Swift but also for the countless women who had suffered assault. "By returning a verdict on Ms. Swift's counterclaim for a single symbolic dollar, the value of which is immeasurable to all women in this situation, ... you will tell every woman ... that no means no," Swift's attorney Douglas Baldridge said in court.

As Swift said in a statement to E! News following the victory, "I want to thank Judge William J. Martinez and the jury for their careful consideration, my attorneys Doug Baldridge, Danielle Foley, Jay Schaudies and Katie Wright for fighting for me and anyone who feels silenced by a sexual assault, and especially anyone who offered their support throughout this four-year ordeal and two-year long trial process."

Swift continued, "I acknowledge the privilege that I benefit from in life, in society and in my ability to shoulder the enormous cost of defending myself in a trial like this. My hope is to help those whose voices should also be heard. Therefore, I will be making donations in the near future to multiple organizations that help sexual assault victims defend themselves."